Research and development director Ryan Honaker, senior scientist Jirayu (Boo Boo) Tanprasertsuk, scientist Devon Tate, and technical product manager LeeAnn Perry all join the business from US pet food brand Nom Nom.
The four will draw on their published studies to help increase the digestibility of KatKin’s products, conducting tests across chemistry, processing and formulation to build the world’s ‘largest’ dataset and knowledgebase on fresh cat food palatability.
Doubling down on science
Commenting on their appointments, Ryan Honaker said: “We’re thrilled to be joining KatKin at a time of incredible opportunity, and doubling down on the business’s commitment to science and cat nutrition.
“In a world where many vets are crying out for more comprehensive cat nutrition education, and cat parents are eager to learn how to make their pets healthier, KatKin’s commitment to science has one aim: to get cats the healthy, fresh food they were born to eat.”
“KatKin is now in the perfect position to change the way cats eat. With in-house vets and cat nutrition experts, our cat-first team is perfectly placed to make the UK’s healthiest cat food. And that means healthier, and therefore happier, cats – first across the UK, and then across the world.”
Building relationships
Additionally, the new hires’ experience and knowledge will be a key enabler as KatKin seeks to build relationships in the veterinary industry and pursue retail partners for its fresh recipes.
Brett O’Farrell, co-chief executive of KatKin, added: “We’re excited to welcome Ryan and the team into KatKin, as we all share the passion to make cat nutrition research and resources more readily available to both consumers and vets. We’re on a mission to improve cats’ lives with the best fresh nutrition, and to make this convenient and accessible to all cat owners.”
Meanwhile, BrewDog has appointed a new chief retail officer in a global role overseeing the business’s retail offering.
